Tax-back scheme flounders

Although technically tourists can recover what they paid in Mexican sales taxes, the process is so complicated that firms that specialize in this field, such as Tax Refund México, Global Refund México, Express Tax Refund and Premier Tax Free, all have given up trying. Part of the problem is not only that these firms all took a cut of any refunds granted, but that bureaucracy made the task difficult. The tax-back program was designed to encourage retail shopping on the part of tourists. No one seems to have noticed is that the main reason Mexicans travel abroad is to shop.

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Jimm Budd

Reporting From Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers

Spotlight on Volaris

Recently fined $130,000 by the U.S. Department of Transportation for not informing passengers about extra charges that they might be obliged to pay, low-fare airline Volaris, according to Mexico’s Consumer Protection Agency, also racks up more customer complaints than any other carrier. Volaris is accused of not spelling out the total cost of some tickets and, worse, failing to provide adequate information on departure gates. Because of this, some passengers have missed flights and been obliged to purchase new tickets.

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Jimm Budd

Reporting From Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers

Different Strokes

Some 5.4 million gay, lesbian and transsexual Mexican and foreign tourists vacationed in Mexico last year, spending an estimated $5.7 billion, according to OutNow Global Studies (whatever that is). Cancun, Mexico City and Puerto Vallarta were favorite destinations. This segment can be important to the hospitality industry, noted Rodrigo Cobo, Mexico director for Travelocity. According to the UN’s World Tourism Organization, the total potential market is 180 million people.

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Jimm Budd

Reporting From Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers

Airport Shootout

Three good cops were killed by bad cops on Monday morning during a gun battle at the Mexico City Airport Terminal Two food court. Apparently the bad cops were about to be arrested for involvement in narcotics smuggling. The incident may have a negative impact on tourism, although no bystanders were injured.

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Jimm Budd

Reporting From Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers

Mel Gibson stars in ‘Get the Gringo.’

Mel Gibson will star in “Get the Gringo.” This newest movie, however, can be seen only in Mexican cinemas. In the USA it is going direct to video and DVD. The film deals with an American criminal jailed in Mexico and some worry that it may scare potential tourists and discourage travel to Mexico. Or it may simply encourage malefactors to stay home. The jail shown may be all-inclusive, but the installation will not appeal to vacationers. 

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Jimm Budd

Reporting From Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers

New Website Simplifies Travel to the Holy Land

iTravelJerusalem.com, a new easy-to-use website offering travel deals, events and information highlighting tourism to Jerusalem, launched this week.

Initiated by the Jerusalem Development Authority, the new website employs Google Street views and HD videos to provide travelers with a virtual tour of Jerusalem’s collection of historical holy sites and modern attractions. The website, available in English and Hebrew, offers travelers discounts on reservations at restaurants and hotels in Jerusalem, and provides “smart phone” scanning capabilities of thousands of barcodes around the city accessing information about new events and attractions.

“In recent years Jerusalem has become a hub of cultural tourism from across the globe,” said Nir Barkat, mayor of Jerusalem. “The new website will further increase Jerusalem’s standing as one of the most diverse and culturally rich tourist destinations on the planet.” 

“We are thrilled about the launch of the new iTravelJerusalem.com website,” said Haim Gutin, Israel commissioner for tourism, North and South America, “which comes during what is on track to be the best year ever for tourism to Israel.”

The new website follows the recently launched www.visit-tlv.com, an English-language website offering travelers up-to-date information on cultural events, festivals, travel tips and suggestions in Tel Aviv. 

For more information, visit www.itraveljerusalem.com. For more information on travel to Israel, visit www.goisrael.com.

Book Now

If you are planning to fly this summer, book now. Prices are going up. Airlines expect a surge in travel this summer and getting the flights you want at a decent rate is going to be a challenge. The earlier you book, the better chance you have of getting the flight you want at a price that doesn’t cost you your first born.

Undersea sculpture garden

As part of its third phase, 60 more sculptures by Jason de Caires Taylor soon will be deposited in the underwater sculpture garden lying between Cancun and Isla Mujeres. These will be added to more than 400 pieces that have been set on the floor of the Caribbean since 2010. This unusual museum was created to protect delicate coral from divers by providing another venue for them to explore.

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Jimm Budd

Reporting From Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers

Carbo Cortes not to be

The Federal Government has cancelled authorization to construct a tourism Project known as Cabo Cortes because of environmental considerations. The project, up the eastern coast of Baja California just above Los Cabos, would have been massive and included a marina, two golf courses, 30,000 rooms in resort hotels, shopping complexes and more. Opponents argued that Mexico’s northernmost coral reef, turtle habitats and more would be destroyed.

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Jimm Budd

Reporting From Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers

Fonatur Short on Cash

Presiding at a ceremony declaring Loreto to be a “Pueblo Mágico,” Enrique Carillo, general director of Fonatur (the National Fund for Tourism Development), confessed that his agency is facing financial difficulties. Fonatur has financed numerous projects, starting with Cancun, but has not always been successful. Loreto, first capital of California (now two Mexican and one American state), is among its failures. Several other ventures have been mentioned in recent months, but little has happened.

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Jimm Budd

Reporting From Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers

G20 in Los Cabos

This is not a good week to vacation in Los Cabos. Leaders of nations with supposedly the world’s strongest economies will be in town for their annual conference, meaning security will be tight and many areas closed to those lacking the proper credentials. By some miracle, construction of the convention center has been completed and this is where the gathering will take place. Big concern is the possibility of demonstrations protesting the event. These could turn violent, but with access to Los Cabos limited — one airport and one highway — this is not expected to be a problem.

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Jimm Budd

Reporting From Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers

4 new cottages at Lake San Antonio

Four new cottages are attracting families to the north shore of Lake San Antonio in southern Monterey County.
“The cottages are what’s called, park models, which are mini mobile homes designed for park use.  They comfortably accommodate a family of four on a queen-sized bed, fold-down cot and futon," said Chelsea Modlin of the Lake San Antonio Resort. “Because they are clustered near one another, they’re ideal for extended family groups of up to 16.”
The new cabins include a fully equipped kitchen with range, microwave, coffee maker, toaster, refrigerator/freezer and dishwasher.  
Each cottage has a fire ring, barbecue, concrete pad, outdoor picnic table and an expansive view of Lake San Antonio. They are located near a paved boat launch ramp and rent for $149 a night, including daily maid service.  
Lake San Antonio is 17-miles long, with 65 miles of shoreline. Operated by Monterey County Parks, the lake is known for its warm freshwater, waterplay (wakeboarding, water towables, water skiing and jet skiing) and fishing (largemouth, smallmouth and striped bass, crappie, channel catfish and other species). 
More about the Lake San Antonio Resort’s new cottages is found online at lakesanantonioresort.com or call (805) 472-2313 for reservations. The cottages are at the end of New Pleyto Road, 44 miles south of King City.

Tickets to Fly

Three or four years ago, passengers wishing to fly to Mexico from San Antonio had to change planes in Houston. Then Aeroméxico arrived and 2,400 seats were available every week. Now, with Interjet and Vivaerobus competing, some 7,000 seats are available every week. Does this mean prices will be falling? On a more somber note, international air traffic to Acapulco declined 65 percent during the first quarter of this year. La Paz also saw a 28 percent decline. Up was international traffic to Morelia (77 percent), Aguascalientes (72 percent) and Zacatecas (65 percent).

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Jimm Budd

Reporting From Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers

Candidates favor more tourism

In their second and final debate on Sunday night, the three leading candidates in the July 1 presidential election all agreed that tourism is important to Mexico and offers an opportunity to create many much-needed jobs. Beyond that, the candidates suggested little. Andres Manuel López Obrador, second in the polls, did propose the creation of high-speed passenger railways but neglected to mention how they would be paid for. At the moment, the PRI’s Enrique Peña Nieto is the clear favorite to win. The PRI (Party of the Institutionalized Revolution) governed Mexico for 70 years before losing to the right-of-center National Action Party 12 years ago. Mexican presidents may serve only one six-year term.

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Jimm Budd

Reporting From Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers

Numbers up

According to the federal Ministry of Tourism, 4,980,750 foreign travelers visited Mexico during the first quarter of 2012, a 5.3 percent increase over 2011. Nearly half these wayfarers came from the United States, but there also were visitors from 147 other countries.

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Jimm Budd

Reporting From Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers

3 Jungle Eco-Lodges Offer New Amazon Photography Tours

Peru’s visionary leader in sustainable tourism, Rainforest Expeditions http://www.perunature.com/, has announced the launch of seven-day, six-night Rainforest Nature Photography Tours operating from its three jungle eco-lodges situated along the Tambopata River in the Peruvian Amazon. Shorter five-day programs also are available. The tour has been specifically designed to let clients experience what it is like to be a National Geographic wildlife photographer.

 

The all-inclusive photography tours include use of the most advanced professional cameras, lenses and equipment. While in the field participants may try out the latest high-tech gear including Canon 600mm f/4 lenses, carbon fiber tripods, specialized macro lenses that can photograph in startling clarity the eyes of an ant, and robotic panorama cameras that can make photos of more than 100 gigapixels. In addition to camera usage, workshops include topics on Photoshop, photography and ethics, the psychology of beauty and technical presentations on how digital cameras work. For a sampling of equipment for use see: http://www.perunature.com/wildlife-photography-equipment.html.

The per person double occupancy rate for seven days is $2,452; a single supplement is $315. Net rates are available to professional trip consultants and travel agencies. Photography equipment, lodging, meals, activities, jungle guides, photography instructor and transportation while on tour are included in the package. See: See:http://www.perunature.com/nature-photography-workshop.html.

Tours stop at each of Rainforest Expeditions’ three eco-lodges visiting the prime sites that each one has to offer. Sites include two 30-meter towers that rise above the jungle canopy, as well as visits to two ox bow lakes where photographs of Giant River Otters and Hoatzin birds are possible. The itinerary also visits the Tambopata Research Center, home to the largest Macaw clay lick in the world.  

Rainforest Expeditions works in partnership with professional photographer Jeff Cremer to provide the same cameras, lenses and technologies that professional photographers employ to capture magazine-quality images. 

“The use of this equipment gives people the chance to combine science, nature and technology to create art,” says Cremer, an award-winning travel photographer based in Lima. His gigapixel photography work was recently published in “EARTH Platinum Edition,” the world’s largest atlas. He also recently finished work on the largest photo ever taken in Peru, a 22,000 megapixel panorama of the Miraflores district of Lima. The image also is one of the top 20 largest photos in the world. He has documented his travels in Peru in a coffee table book, “People Of The Sun — A Journey Into The Heart Of The Inca Empire.”

Rainforest Expeditions’ string of three jungle lodges is accessed from Puerto Maldonado Airport arriving from Lima or Cusco on daily commercial flights lasting 45 or 90 minutes, respectively. A bus transports guests to the Infierno River Port to board motorized wooden canoes for a 45-minute trip to the first lodge, Posada Amazonas. Refugio Amazonas, the second lodge, is a 3.5-hour boat trip after departing the bus. The third and most remote is Tambopata Research Center, requiring a 4-hour additional upriver boat ride from Refugio Amazonas.  Each lodge is only a few minutes on foot from the river bank. See: http://www.perunature.com/tambopata-jungle-lodges-puerto-maldonado.html.

Tourism Law

 Although the Federal Tourism Law was passed by Congress three years ago, it has not been put into effect because what are called “regulations” have yet to be added. The law was passed to enhance the authority of the Tourism Ministry, but without the required regulations, it is ineffective. For instance, in the future the ministry will be able to say when a hotel can call itself a five-star establishment, but the yet-to-be written regulations spell out what is needed for five stars.


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Jimm Budd
Reporting From Mexico City
Member of the Society of American Travel Writers

On the Riviera

While federal and state officials gathered on the Riviera Maya for the annual National Tourism Forum, nearby, members of the Freelance Council of the Society of American Travel Writers arrived for a meeting expected to generate publicity for what already is Mexico’s leading travel destination. The forum heard a report stating that the Tianguis tourism trade show in April had been a success. Four candidates in July’s presidential election addressed the group but had little to say about tourism. The journalists learned about future development in the area, prospects for a Maya Riviera airport, and much about the new era expected when the current Maya Calendar runs out of days in December.

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Jimm Budd

Reporting From Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers

Air Travel

Rapid growth among three low-fare airlines helped drive up the number of international passengers transported by Mexican carriers up 42 percent year-over-year during the first quarter of 2012 as those airlines further expanded into U.S. markets and introduced new flights from Mexico to Central America and the Caribbean. These airlines transported 1.3 million international passengers during the first three months of this year compared with 924,916 during the prior year period. Interjet had the most dramatic growth, increasing its share of Mexico’s international market from zero to 5.8 percent year-over-year. Interjet launched its first international flights last year and now operates from Miami, San Antonio, Guatemala City and Havana.

--Jimm Budd

Reporting From Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers